Constellations
by Sky Melodies
Summary: Synestra, a young girl from District 11, gets chosen for the Seventy-Sixth Hunger Games. With an old friend as another tribute and millions of things to be taught, her journey for surival in the games is as hard as she always thought it would be.
1. Chapter 1

**Description- **Let's say Catching Fire never happened. No uprisings, no District 13 theories, no nothing. POV of a young girl from District Eleven who... I'm not going to post it here, it will ruin it for those that want to read!

* * *

My hazel eyes watch the stars disappear from the cooling spring twilight outside in one of the food trees near the small orphanage I call home. It's illegal to be out during curfew, so is being at the orchard during non-work hours. But they call my name, the shiny diamonds in the sky do, and the only way I can quiet them is by watching them. Spending time with them. Noticing their existence, like I so dearly want people to notice me.

I stay in the fruit tree for a few hours even after the stars set into the light morning sky and poof away. Today marks the day of the Seventy-sixth annual start of the Hunger Games. Once a year, a boy and a girl get chosen today to later go in an arena and tear each other apart. The winner is lucky enough to live the rest of his or her life with money, fame, and a large supply of food.

Victors in the later districts, normally Nine through Twelve rarely win. We are rarely trained for fightings, plus, we normally do suffer a lack of essential nutrients that would deeply help in the arenas.

Here in District Eleven, food isn't as plentiful as we'd like. Hunger and starvation are just something we live with everyday. At the tightly packed orphanage, death from starvation isn't a stranger to us. Most of the young, innocent and early to life cry for the food they most desperately call for. Crave for. Beg.

I loose the trance the sky has on me and find the strength to jump down. The fall isn't that deep, five feet at most, and I easily gain my balance on my shoeless feet. I quickly wipe away any dust and dirt that might have possibly combined on my brown potato sack-like dress that just passes my knees.

With the sun just rising close to the center of the sky, I quickly run to the orphanage. They shall be calling names soon for the games, and the Homesetters- the people that care for use at my orphanage home- tend to wish us be bathed and dressed properly for the event.

Almost as soon as I get to the door, I hear the distant whining and crying of a child. I open the smooth oak door to the building and notice the sounds not too far. Homesetters force and push the young into the different dresses and khaki pants. The slightly older children seem to form a circle as one girl brushes the girl in front of her, as she brushes the hair in front of her, and so on and so on. The older ones about my age, 15, are either laying on thick layers of make-up or putting on gallons of cologne. I feel childish and slightly embarrassed as I find I'm the only one not dressed, even yet bathed, so I dart through the crowd of adolescence to the staircase that leads me to the bathroom.

I'm greeted by nothing but the humid air and smell of dirt as I enter the bathroom. Without much time to waste, I immediately strip off my dress and undergarments and slip into the small tub. I was lucky enough that the person before didn't drain it, seeing as I would have had to run outside and refill the buckets to pour in the tub, so I put the fruit smelling shampoo into my long wavy red hair. I use the small bar of homemade soap to quickly scrub my body of any material it might have gathered.

In a quick flick of my wrist, I grab a large piece of fabric that I embrace around my body. Not exactly a towel, but it will do the job of soaking up the liquid on me. As I look in the small vanity mirror held up on the wall, I find the nearest brush and run it through my hair a couple times. When I'm satisfied with the job I've done, I run to the small bedroom I share with my roommate, Plume- a girl I've known since birth and my best friend- and find the small maple dresser that fills most of the room.

"Oh, Synestra!" Plume runs over to me, and I notice her eyes slightly puffy and red. Her long black hair shines brightly against her dark blue dress with the small ripples at the end. "What if someone here gets picked? I hate the thought of loosing someone again… And what about me? I know I have signed up for at least twenty teserea!" she cries and embraces me in hug. Her arms squeeze tight around my ribs as she lets the small tears fall from her dark blue eyes. Teserea, for each addition piece you add to the pot, you get a year supply of rice and oil. But don't let that fool you. It goes by quicker then anyone could imagine.

"Plume," I grab hold of her wrists and force her dark eyes to look at me. "They probably will pick someone here. But they won't pick you. The odds are ever in your favor! Think of all the extra papers from others! They won't choose you. I can almost promise it," I try to comfort her, but I still see sorrow in her eyes. Doubt. Uncertainty.

"Alright," she whimpers and lets go of me.

"Go ahead and wait downstairs, I'll be there in a minute," a small smile tries to comfort her that formed from my mouth. She slightly nods and paces outside.

The only formal dress I have is a light green sundress with thin straps and waves at the bottom of my feet. I slowly slide it on, fixing my hair as I do so. I slip into the small sandals I own and eventually follow the rest of the children in the house in the downstairs area.

I manage to find Plume on the small worn down purple loveseat in the living room. I quickly run to her, letting my sandals scruff on the worn wooden floors.

Plume came a very short time after I did here. I was just a newborn when my parents dropped me off here from abandonment. Plume arrived nearly a month later, when her mother and father passed away from starvation. It was a miracle she survived. Over the fifteen years we have spent here, we almost became sisters. United together.

She's one of the few, if not only, person here who actually cares about my wellbeing. While Plume plays around with the younger and visit's the old during her time off from working in the fields, I just sit around and ponder with my thoughts growing. I watch the nature, but my favorite thing to look at are the stars. They shine so bright in the darkness. They bring hope to those who have none. Simple, yes. But worthless, never.

I sit on the loveseat right next to her. As I do so, she lays her head on my lap. Her body structure is very small compared to me, but she's also thin from lack of food like I. "How many teserea do you have," Plume murmurs from my lap.

I hesitate for a moment and let my mind think quickly. I know I have about forty altogether, but I don't dare tell her that. I'm about to tell her a small number, but stop when I hear a bell ring. Not long after, the crowded room seems to empty. The Reaping will be started soon.

"I'll tell you later," I start, as Plume bounces off my lap and drags her feet into line. I soon follow, skipping a few others to be in line with her. As we are pushed outside the door, we are immediately get guided to the Town Center, where the names will be called for the games will be held. Peacekeepers- who resemble Town Guards in the old world- march on either side of us, willing to shoot anyone who dares to try and run. It wouldn't be the first time that we lost someone that way…

We must have been late, since the reaping has already started. Plume and I managed to find seats towards the middle row, luckily. They were now giving more of the boring history of Panem, the continent in which we live. It started after a massive war, famine, drought, and plague had hit the old world. Out of the ashes and rubble, our Leaders, the Capitol, managed to build life out of the area. They separated the land into thirteen different districts, each specializing in a different product. District Eleven produces crops, and it shows it by the large mass fields of trees and plants that we harvest. When District Thirteen started an uprising, the Capitol destroyed it many years and years ago. No one survived the harsh attack. They recite the events each year to teach us that the Capitol holds all the power. We are worthless compared to the power it holds.

I stare upstage and notice the three people the stage occupies. Our Mayor Pravo, the mayor of the District sits up there with snow white hair and black pinstriped suit is sitting in the middle. A small mustache curls upwards on his lip, and it accompanied by a small pointed beard on his chin. His lightly colored skin looks leathery from age and much time spent in the fields.

To the right of the mayor is Aphrodite, the winner of the Hunger Games seven years ago. During the old world, a religion that revolved around many gods and goddess in a land called Greece held a goddess named Aphrodite. She was the goddess of love and beauty, and it's easy to see that our representative resembles her much. Long blonde hair that goes down to her hips is completely straight. Her incredibly thin figure is covered by a long strapless gown the color of red satin. Dark shades of red and black eye shadow was obviously applied, as well as thick layers of matching red lipstick. Skin was slightly tanned, and she wore a mischievous smile.

To the far left of the three is a young man from the Capitol. He's the one who will escort the tributes to the Capitol and keep watch of us. He's scrawny and thin, not like many of the other males from the Capitol who normally have muscles and big stomachs. Long shaggy black hair slides past his ears, and large black-rimmed glasses set on his nose. He's wearing a formal tuxedo that's a hue of dark blue.

As the Mayor finished up the story of the old world, the man from the Capitol takes the microphone. He speaks into, revealing a shaky voice, more then likely from nerves.

"So uh, thank you all for coming… even though you really didn't have a choice… I mean, hi, my name is Higgens, and I'll be escorting those to the Capitol today. I say we start calling the names for the tributes. I think it would uh, help get things started!" the man lightly smiles as he walks over to one of the two big balls filled with papers in the front of the stage. He opens one of them and immediately throws his hand in. He shuffles the papers up for a moment with his arm before he finally chooses one.

"For our girl tribute, we have…" Higgens tries to read the name on the paper. As he turns to the Mayor to help him decipher the name, I look to my left and see Plume looking at me.

Her eyes look moist and gloomy as she stares at me. I wrap my hand around hers and whisper "You'll be okay," very quietly. She lets out a small smile and then looks back up to the Capitol man.

"S…Sin, sen, son…. Synestra Ariston," he tries to say.

Before I can even register what has just happened, Plume burst into tears and shrieks loudly as she pins me in a hug. I see many faces stare at me and lightly gasp.

_Synestra Ariston… That's me, _my brain screams at me, but my body feels numb.

I'm going in the arena.

I'm going to compete in the 76th Hunger Games.

Chances are, I'm going to die.

* * *

**My first attempt at a Hunger Games Fanfic. Please review, feedback is always a love! I'm going to try and get this to go as quickly from now to the actual arena as I can, but be warned, it may still take a couple chapters ;D**


	2. Chapter 2

I try to stand up from my seat, but Plume keeps weighing me down back into the chair. Hysterical cries and pleads come from her as the person sitting next to her tries to force her grip loose. When the tugging on my dress stops, I speed walk to the stage. I can tell many faces are staring at me, but I don't bother to look at any of them. My eyes focus on Higgens, whom is now wearing a small smile to see that I'm not making this difficult on him.

I feel small tears in my eyes, but I don't give them the permission to fall. As I slowly climb up the few small steps to the stage and move the hair out of my face, I brush the small tears away with a quick movement of my wrist.

"Next, for our boy tribute from District Eleven, we have…" Higgens starts as he throws his hand in the ball on the opposite site of the stage filled with the names for the males. This time he doesn't even bother to mix them up as he just chooses the first paper he sees.

"And this time, we have a Itea Morqua," Higgens ends. He wears a huge smile to the crowd.

Itea Morqua… The name sounds so familiar. I scan over the crowd to catch a glimpse of who it may be. For a moment, no one moves. Higgens nervously coughs in his sleeve, Mayor Pravo looks over the audience to try and find the boy, and Aphrodite just wipes the dirt off of her nails. From a closer view, I realize the French Manicured nails are obviously fake, but she shines them on her dress, not caring about the events.

Higgens is just about to say something into the microphone again until someone in the far right eventually stands up. Blonde hair lays flat against his head. He, along with most of the males in the crowd, is wearing just plain khaki pants with a button up white polo shirt. Itea appears to be my age, and his green eyes seems to stare directly at me. He raises his hand. "I'm Itea Morqua." he calls out with a smirk on his face as he walks down the aisle.

No one calls out for him, or tries to force him to stay with them. No one seems to crying. Well, except for Plume, of course, but I'm thinking that's for me and my soon to be loss. I keep looking out to the place where Itea came from, yet the people he was sitting near don't look like his parents.

"Hey Sweetheart," he mischievously smiles as he stands next to me and puts his arm around my waist. I felt slightly awkward by that as I tried to pull away from him, but he was too strong and forced it upon me. A few people in the crowd giggling, even from Plume who was now wiping tears from her eyes. "Can we get this show on the road?" Higgens tries to object, carrying on about how the rules have to be carried out and end with all the tradition things, but Mayor Pravo just shoves it aside and agrees with Itea.

Higgens waves to the audience, showing a small grin at how he didn't _totally _mess the thing up (even though he didn't carry it through) and he guides us into separate rooms next to a gas station.

The room is nice, fancier then most buildings in town. New shiny oak floors by comparison beat the old rotting ones at the orphanage. Like the floor, the dark green paint on the walls looks fresh and clean. A large blue velvet couch sits in the far left corner of the room, accompanied by two small chairs on either side. I'm alone for a moment, during that time I gather my lost thoughts. The Reaping just seemed to pass by way to fast. I almost feel as if I'm about to cry when the door opens and Plume comes running to greet me by the couch. I open my arms in a hug and she falls into them and cries.

"Don't die," she whispers as she sits down on the chair next to me. I slightly chuckle at the words. She wants the person who will most likely die first to battle to the end.

I don't say anything to her comment, but I ask her something that may help me very much. "Plume, who's Itea?"

She looked at me like I had two heads. "Itea? He's the boy that used to play with us when we were little. You don't remember?" Plume cocks her head to the side and my memory of the boy begins to fill my mind.

Plume, Itea, and I used to play in the trees when we worked in the field when we were nearing four. Hide and Seek was our favorite, the memories of jumping from tree to tree with the sweet smell of fruit and play lingered in the air. Since food was scarce, we'd often run off behind small dumpsters and wait for bakers and cafes to drop off any small sweets that we adored. I'd often get a small slither of crumb cake, Plume would get her favorite fruit tart, and Itea would sometimes go without, forcing us to eat whatever pieces remained for us to have stomachs slightly full.

At seven, he was adopted. It was obvious that he would get a home eventually, though. He was strong, nice, and an excellent student even at the young age. But the short time I've recently spent with him suggests he may have changed. That, or he was playing it up for the cameras. But the latter option doesn't sound right to me…

We sit there the rest of the time talking about our boring past. Everything from the time she broke her arm to the memories of our youth we go over. Combinations of laughter and tears pass from me to her, until time itself seemed to stop. We had just started on another sweet memory when a peacekeeper came in and told Plume to leave. She slowly nodded her head as she hugged me one last time. She brings three of her fingers to her lips then blows me a kiss, a symbol of good luck. I do the same action to her, she smiles and leaves me.

I feel fresh tears ball up inside me again, but I hate the idea of letting them fall and showing me as weak. I bite my lip to keep the pain from lip away from the pain that is in my heart. The sharp taste of metallic blood starts to slowly make its way to my tongue, but I ignore it and let the pain fill me until I feel better and whole.

Some time has passed before anyone has seen me. I'm still alone in my room until a small ray of light shines in from the doorway. Another peacekeeper comes in and moves me along to a train station, the one I've seen seldom and is used to transport our tributes for the games.

As the man shoves me into one of the train cars and I fall to the ground. Not too long after the action, the trains engine starts. I grumble to myself as I slowly stand and gain balance while I dust the dirt off my dress when someone calls my name. I turn to see Itea, wearing the same mischievous smile as when he jumped onto the stage.

"Long time no see, huh Princess? Aphrodite wants to see us in the first car. Something about the games, probably," Itea shrugs. He puts his arm around my shoulder, totally ignoring my attempts to try and ply myself away from him. He guides me into the neighboring cars until I find Aphrodite, chatting with Higgens on a small couch.

"Found her, Princess Two," Itea grins as he sits on a couch directly opposite of her. He motions for me to sit down next to him on the couch. I find a small spot on the opposite end as the boy and sit. Aphrodite chuckles and lightly smiles.

"The ride won't be as long as you'd think, so we have to do as much planning as we can. We've already have gotten you dressers and trimmers, but we need to see what talents you have. Got anything?" Aphrodite asks as she moves her hair out of her face.

"I'm pretty good with a knife," Itea brags as he puts his legs on the table that separates the couches. "And arrows."

Aphrodite looks like she's debating that in her head if it was important or not, she even cocked her head side to side once or twice. "What about you?"

I shrugged my shoulders. I never really had given this much thought, but in truth, I hardly did know anything. "I've never tried anything before," I say, and Aphrodite looks at me with disgust as I stare at the floor.

"Well, I'll find a way to make due I guess," she sighed. She turned to Higgens, "They're all yours for the day." she tells him and then immediately gets up and leaves into another car, leaving a faint smell of flower perfume behind her with each step she took.

~*~

"So why are we doing this again?" I ask Higgens as I place a small hard cover book on my head and find a way to balance it. I move my body side to side, and help my fingers guide the book to the desired location. I have it for a minute, and barely breath.

"Proper ladies and gentlemen have perfect balance. It can actually help a lot later in the Games," Higgens states as he's helping Itea with his book. "Oh, you've got it under control, Synestra!" he turns around and faces towards me. His glasses are crooked and his hair is a mess, but it's the outcome of Itea and mine "improper manners" which has led him to nearly teach us everything about them, randomly going in small fits.

I smile and slightly blush at my good deed; a small sense of pride. As Higgens leaves the room for a moment to gather more books and items that we may need to help accomplish different things, I'm stuck alone in the room with just Itea.

He sticks his tongue out at me, and I repeat the action. He follows up with a dirty look, and I do the same. As he fiddles around attempting to put the book on his head as he continues to taunt me with various immature names such as Goody-goody, Boogerbrain, and Snotnose, I walk over to him-book balanced- and lightly and playfully hit him on the arm. Itea did the same, until we found ourselves on the floor tackling and wrestling each other.

Of course, Higgens had to walk in on that moment. For "_improper etiquette and animal-like behavior", _we're ordered to an extra hour of practice. Sure, it might have been boring and dull, but Itea managed to find a way to make it slightly more bright.

~*~

Higgens ended at dinner time; my stomach grumbled and gurgled loudly enough to annoy him and send Itea and I to get food. Even from the car I was at, I could smell the sweet and tangy sauces of various meals. Each car we had to cut through just sent the smell deeper and deeper into my stomach, instantly craving for the food.

The next car door I opened reveled what I had been smelling and desired. Dozens of dishes were filled with chicken smothered in combinations of sweet, sour, thick gravy poured with mountains of mashed potatoes tinted faint yellow from all the butter that was drowned into it. A sweet and warming fruit cocktail with various colors of bright hues from red to yellow with different sizes arranged themselves in a décor-like pattern. Four china plates the size on my head lay on each corner of the table, along with a basket of steamed glazed rolls and water tinted with fruit flavoring. My mouth salivated at just the sight and smell of everything, in no time I had set myself down at a chair and started to eat.

I was half way done with a bowl of steamed rice topped with vegetables wearing a thin coat of beef flavoring when Itea, Higgens, and Aphrodite walked in on my gorge. The two adults looked at me weird, and Itea joined in, slurping dishes of noodles drowning in various stews.

Everything tasted so rich and sweet in its own way. For the first time in years I was beginning to get full. My stomach soon felt like it had expanded as I started to grow in pain, but I ignored it as I started on the plate of chicken.

Nausea soon followed with my aching stomach until I was forced to stop. I thanked the chef, an old man with a yellow and crooked smile, and left for my room. The room I was assigned on the train was about the size of the living room at the orphanage. It was large and spacious with only a bed, dresser, and nightstand to fill it up. The carpet was smooth and silky, I took off my sandals and took long steps, giggled each time as the floor tickled my feet. I collapsed into my bed and I immediately sink into the sponge material. It's not a moment after I do so when I close my eyes and fall asleep in my green sundress that bore tears of Plume from just this morning. I breath in and out a sigh of relief.

This train ride is my paradise.


	3. Chapter 3

I would like to thank calypso3266, for actually CARING enough to review! So, to not sound like a total bitch and complain, I'm just going to HOPE AND PRAY PEOPLE ACTUALLY REVIEW THIS.

Even a simple: Good story, or I like it so far, or even Good, is enough to shut me up!

Don't get me wrong, I don't review EVERY fic I read, but I do for MOST of them!

So... (cough PLEASE REVIEW cough)

* * *

Forcing me out of my coma-like sleep at around one a.m. was thanks to no one else but myself and my habit of sneaking out at night to watch and gaze at my stars that I love so. I squeeze my eyes closed, hoping that would possibly make myself sleep, but it only hurt my eyes and later on gave me a headache. I groan as I stand up to yawn and stretch, helping me wake up more. The dress's fabric on the inside made me feel raw and sensitive to the material, so I undress and slip on a white bathrobe I find hanging on the dresser. That seems to sooth my skin well enough, so I slip on a pair of fuzzy green slippers and open the door of my room.

The hallway was dark, like I had expected it to be around this time of night, so I make slow and long steps to be careful not to wake anyone. To be honest, I don't really know where I'm going, I'm just hoping that I find something to keep me busy during the light hours of the twilight. Car after car I cross and pass, only to have the same result in all of them: nothing. I sigh a couple times as I realize the only thing that kept me entertain yesterday was the few people that will guide me to the end. No matter how bossy Higgens is, or how stuck up Aphrodite is, they _do_ make interesting company.

I'm about to give up and turn around to lay back in bed when I reach just another door to another car. My curiosity gets the best of me as I walk over and open it. I'm at the end, it's just the end of the train itself with railing so no one tips- or jumps, for that matter- over the edge. A shadow of a man on that side makes me scream. The person just turns around, a small smirk on his face. "What's wrong Princess? Scared of the dark?"

I sigh at my foolishness as it's only Itea, dressed in an old tee shirt and pajama pants with hair a mess, sneaking out along with me. "I thought you were a madman or something!" I argue, but walk over to his side. He just smirks again and puts his arm around my neck once more and pulls me closer to him. This time, though, I don't attempt to pull away. I know that once the games start, death will find me, so I feel like I must enjoy whatever communication I can get. Plus, his warmth feels nice on this chilled night.

More stars are out tonight then I've seen in a long time. Groups of them settle out into the darkness. I see small rays of light fill in between some in my mind. Itea looks out too, but not so much at the stars as he does just the dark rainbows of the night that we pass.

"Ursa Major, Virgo, Hydra," I name out loud some constellations that I have remembered in the past. For a minutes, I completely forgot that Itea was next to me, but I think he's too busy in his own mind to care about what I say. The names continue out of my lips, but they are more like mumbles. It's not like Itea would care anyway.

At least an hour or two has passed before I feel my eyes trying to drag. With that leading the reason of my yawn that I give and later my source of me half-sleeping while standing up. Itea lightly laughs at the fact that I'm nearly dozing on his shoulder and helps carry me to my room. To his amusement, the way a groom carries his bride is the way he carried me, laughing the whole time to my room. I knew I was asleep, but my brain felt active, and felt aware of each step he took. Opening my eyes was simply to hard for me, and I swear I heard myself snore, which only brought Itea into more silent laughter.

My door was near as Itea stopped walking to turn his body around and open a door with a handle. He slid through the doors, careful to make sure I wouldn't hit the door, and softly slid me off of him. Gentle movements guide my head to the soft feathered pillow and my body and limbs under the silky violet blanket on my bed. At this point, my consciousness is slipping while I go back to the sleep that I need. The moments after he places me in bed seem slightly hazy, but I could almost swear a pair of lips brushed against my own lips as the words "Night, night, Princess" came from the owner of those lips.

~*~

Mornings themselves aren't too fond of me, and I'm not to fond of them myself. Desperate wants to sleep in were forcefully beat by overpowering nagging of Aphrodite. "It's my day to teach, and it's not my fault when your in the arena with nothing to help you!" was my personal favorite out of the countless things she yelled at me. Time grew and I knew the only way to shut her up was to get up.

With a quick scour through the dresser provided me with a light green tank top and black jeans. The restroom in the main car is a lot different then the bathroom in my room during the stay, which both contrast dearly to the bathroom in the orphanage. I see the tub, but decide that I will only get dressed. My brain fills with many thoughts as I find that both the clothes fit me, and how did anyone know my size? The brush finds it way through my knotted hair as I jerk it out of my hair; once or twice I wince at the knot that I pull out.

I walk down the cars to the one where we were served our food last night, finding a good hearty breakfast lay in the midst of everything. Everyone, with the exception of me, was eating, or in Itea's case, inhaling it. I blush at my absents and keep quiet as I try and eat my breakfast, but even the soups that I loved last night seem too rich for this time of day. Nonetheless, I do manage to eat it all.

"Higgens and I both agreed that we should start training now," Aphrodite gently wipes her face with a laced napkin, followed by her adding a layer of lipstick.

Itea and I both look at each other and nod; signs that we agree. "We're game, Princess Two." Itea lays back in his chair.

Aphrodite rolls her eyes. "Don't you agree that it's _much _easier to just call me Aphrodite then 'Princess Two?'"

"Fine, no more Princess… _Queen_," Itea smirks. "We're game, Queen." At the new name, Aphrodite actually seems to smile, as if to say _I can get used to that name_. Higgens and I laugh at the fight, and Aphrodite actually does look serious on her new name.

Aphrodite gets up for her chair for a moment, closing the door behind her. Minutes tick by as the door opens, showing the previous victor with an armful of various small weapons. "Breakfast is over, and Queen's taking charge."

~*~

By the was she played with the weapons shows the reason why she must have won the games those seven years ago. A couple times during the lesson, I was actually scared Aphrodite might turn mad with the way she holding a few of the weapons. Holding the weapons pointed towards us was one thing, but the spark in her eyes that occasionally slipped made me hide my fear. She held each on with respect, something I didn't think I'd ever see that woman do.

Bows, knifes, small snares, and even tranquilizer darts presented to us not only proved, but looked, dangerous enough to help us live. Itea wasn't lying when he said he was good with the bow and knife, he nearly hit and stabbed each dummy Aphrodite set up for him. With a cotton from the inners of dummies leaking on the floor, it was fair that it was now my turn to practice.

The first couple of arrows I sent flying missed the target. The snare I had made in high hopes of being successful failed. My darts went flying from the passage I blew them from into the dummy, but that itself wouldn't and couldn't kill all twenty-three tributes in the game. My time with the knife seemed to be the only thing that helped my image between the three of us, seeing that when I threw it, it actually landed in the place I wanted it to land: the heart.

"Wow," Itea starts. "Give a Princess a knife and she looks stupid. But teach a Princess _how _to throw a knife and she still looks like a newbie." With that, Aphrodite started to giggle, and I slapped Itea on the arm. "Aww, don't be bummed. You'll always be a newbie to me." he smirks and I tackle him to the ground… Again.

~*~

Practice ended not long before dinner, and dinner didn't last long itself, either. With a stomach full of rich delicate meals, I creep to my room. My body calls for sleep, but instead I find a nightgown and robe to accompany me to the bathroom. Sweet smelling soaps and candles filled the small room as I try to figure out where I will get the water from for the bath. The tub at our house involve us dragging buckets from the lakes and streams to pour into the tub. But without a source of water on a train, how do they expect us to bathe? Hope is almost lost when I notice something that catches my eye, a small knob near the wall on the tub. With two colors and words- red for hot, and blue for cold- I quickly turn the water to the hot. Hot water isn't something we get normally at home, unless someone boils the water then pours it in. Here, it just comes out of a small faucet.

With clothes striped and a couple of candles lit, I slide into the tub. The hot water seems to relax my muscles, why has no one figured out how to make this happen in our district?! The candles let out a fresh scent of vanilla, which sends memories of Plume and I baking cookies last spring. Instead of the bumpy lard-like soap back home, this soap is smooth and releases a thin layer of Pickpettes, a sweet sugar berry harvested in only our district, into the humid air.

I didn't want to get out of the tub, but when I nearly fell asleep in the water, I knew I should. With towels as soft as a bunny's coat, I wrapped myself in them, water immediately taken off of me. I found the strength to slip on my nightgown and robe following after it before I blew out the candles and pulled a plug I found in the tub that helped to drain the water.

I grab my dirty clothes and place them in the hamper found out in the hallway. While doing so, I notice a young girl nearing to my age with long black hair grab them from me, sorrow lay in her eyes. The first thing I saw in the girl was Plume; young, yet so saddened with dark eyes that hold all. Without knowledge of my body, I give the girl a hug. Her eyes go huge from shock and her body stiff, but she soon loosens her muscles. After doing so, I bolt to my room. My face finds the pillow, and tears fall for no certain reason at all.

No, there is a certain reason: everything.

I probably just forced the little Avox girl into a beating for her commutation with

I'm never going to see Plume again.

I probably just forced the little Avox girl into a beating for her commutation with me.

I'm going to be killed off by an innocent person in the arena.

Most off all, I'm going to have to kill innocent people in the arena for recreational use by the Capitol.

* * *

Again, sorry for sounding like a bitch, but I'm not asking for much! Just a few words at least~ ;D


	4. Chapter 4

**I feel like an ass from the last author note I left, so how about I stfu and just post. C:**

* * *

I must be in luck this morning, since Aphrodite sent Itea to wake me up instead of herself. Not having to listen to her complain and nag the morning away was sweet enough; I knew I would have a good day. Itea was still in his own pajamas as he placed himself next to me on my bed trying the various ways to wake up a girl very determined to sleep. When he decided that shaking me wasn't enough, he did something totally uncalled for: he started to tickle me.

Maybe he remembered the small fact from our childhood, or maybe he was just lucky to know that was my Achilles Heel. His arm entwined around mine and fingers finding their way to my upper stomach; hysterical laughs and pleads to stop came from the teary-eyed me. "Nu uh, I told you to wake up, Princess!" was Itea's response for each cry. I constantly thrashed around, trying to avoid each tickle, until I took it too far and fell of my bed. Itea didn't have enough time to entangle him from me, he fell with me.

Higgens must have a habit of walking in on situations at the wrong place and time from what I've learned from my two day stay here. The door opened showing a Higgens with a stern look on his pale face. Itea immediately got off of me and held out his hand to help me up. Itea bore a small mischievous grin and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "It was entirely what it looked like," he said with sarcasm. Higgens just let out a sigh then silently closed the door behind him. I slapped him on the arm and pushed him out also. He still was grinning, but I was in need of getting dressed.

Though I had only worn both only one pair of shirts and pants, the drawer I found was filled with brand new ones. I ran my fingers over the ever soft fabric of a blue shirt and jeans then claimed it mine. I slid the shirt and pants on me; again these fit. It almost seemed as if they were custom made. I run the brush through my hair a couple times. Maybe it was the Pickpette shampoo I used last night, for I have far less tangles and knots then I did yesterday morning. I move my hair into place and slightly tug my shirt down before I am pleased with my look. I faintly smile in the mirror, this face won't be living in Panem very long.

I escort myself to breakfast alone. Itea must either be getting dressed or already at breakfast waiting for me so Aphrodite can start her lesson. My fingers tug on the door knob to last car; all the delicacies I was used to for breakfast were gone. Itea was at the table sitting down, he hands under his chin as if he was bored. He smiled, "Princess, glad to see you this morning!"

Aphrodite, at the other end of the table, rolls her eyes. Higgens appears to be absent this morning, probably off doing paperwork or looking for Sponsors. No Avox servants around to take our plates, no real food on the table, and only Itea and Aphrodite to accompany me in the car.

"So what's on today's agenda?" I sit down next to Itea and ask. Aphrodite stands up and pushes her chair back in under the table.

"No everything in the arena will be edible. But there always will be _something_ to eat. If you do get lucky in killing something, you'll be blessed with meat. Nearly everything you can kill is edible. But now berries; Those are another story…" began Aphrodite as she started a lecture on berries and foods. Towards the end, she pulled out a large crate.

She opened the box and took out a few contents inside. I noted some of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts she placed on the table. As the table grew more full with foods, I realized most of these grew in my district. With the crate growing more empty, Aphrodite placed the last two foods down: an apple with a purple tint and a small little pile of Pickpettes.

"You will learn what you can and can't eat, simple?" our blonde teacher told us. She sat down in her chair and waved her arms like a showcase model.

"Easy enough," Itea snorted.

"I have to agree," I shrugged.

"Fine. Then how about we make this into a game?" smirked Aphrodite. "Whoever picks the deadly food first looses."

"What does the winner get?" Itea asked carefully, a slight sparkle in his eye.

"Loser has to be the Winner's slave for the trip?" I ask.

"Deal." Itea extends his hand.

"Deal." We shake hands into a contract.

"This can be interesting," Aphrodite lays a mischievous smile as she places her elbow on the table and sets her head on her hands. "Let the games begin."

Although it's safe to say Itea and I are friends, I still needed a little revenge for the episode from this morning. He picks his fruits out with ease while I take a while to select my choice. With over half the table clear of the edible items, Itea is still as cocky as ever. Aphrodite looks at interest in each move we make; maybe we know more then what she thought we knew.

"Sorry, Princess, but you know I'm going to have to win this," smirks Itea.

I roll my eyes. "Yeah. We'll see about that," I retort. A small chuckle is heard by Aphrodite.

As Itea takes the purple apple (or the Loyful fruit, as Aphrodite calls it) I carefully examine the few fruits left. I know the Pickpettes aren't deadly, but the other three foods are questionable. To my left is a single nut colored a deep blue, a withered root marked with different colors of the rainbow, and a Nightlock berry, which I know is poisonous. I gently pick up the Pickpettes and show them to Aphrodite. She nods her head: I'm safe!

Itea looks at the rest of the foods. He let out a sigh. "There is nothing left."

"Correct!" Aphrodite smiles and claps her hands, but doesn't say anything after that.

"So… It's a tie?" he asks.

"No. We have to have a Winner," giggles Aphrodite. "I guess that means Synestra wins!"

"No fair! You said it yourself, we have nothing left to pick!" Itea argues, but our teacher comes over to me and pats me on the back.

"Aw, it's okay, Itea. I promise to go easy on ya," I laugh.

"So what happens if I don't listen to her?"

"I'll find a way to make you Games your own personal hell," Aphrodite smirks. "Gotta learn to keep your promises, dearie."

"Hey wait! You fixed this!" Itea realized what happened. Without my notice, Aphrodite had made it so that I would win.

"Hm? Whoever said that? _Queen _would never do that," Aphrodite walked off, leaving a small blast of perfume behind as she left. Itea grumbled swears under his breath.

"So, I'm your _slave_?" purred Itea as he winked his emerald eyes. "I can get used to that."

"Itea, you pervert!" I chuckle and push his shoulder.

As the day progressed into night, I didn't see Aphrodite, even at dinner. Higgens stopped by once, to get his food, but then rushed out to eat in his own room, leaving Itea and I the rest of the evening.

"You know what I've been wondering?" snorted my new slave friend.

"How you could have lost?" I shrug.

"No. How could _she_ have won the games?"

"Yeah, know that I think about it…"

"Good. That's why I have this," a small disc was in Itea's hand. "It's from her games."

"How did you get that?"

"I have my ways, Princess. Wanna watch or not?" grinned Itea. I nod my head as we walked the cars to the living area. The only television in the train actually had a DVD player, and as Itea placed the disc in, I laid down on the couch. He grabbed a remote and pressed a few buttons until the Games started.

"Move over, I wanna sit on the couch," Itea tried to move my feet.

"Sorry, slaves sit on the floor," I giggled as he sighed and pressed the fast-forward button.

The screen showed different faces and deaths. With a desert-like climate to live in and a few small scenes of the hot, dry landscape, Itea fast-forward the video, then paused it as it passed Aphrodite.

She looked like she does now, but only shorter at age fifteen. Even though she had spent many days inside the arena, she still looked better then the others. She either had stored lipstick away or found berries to paint her lips deep red, and powder she added slight water to in order to make a dark red eye shadow. She was even freshly bathed from the lack of dirt and grim on her face and body. She grabbed an arrow from her back sheath and loaded it into her bow. She unleashed it upon a boy running towards her with a knife.

"Wow, she meant some serious business…" I say in awe as she shot down girl also coming towards her.

"No doubt…" Itea added as the camera turned to someone else.

"Hey… Who's that boy?" I ask as Aphrodite later meets up with someone near her age towards night. She ran inside the mouth of a shallow cave, talking to a boy who was already there.

"I think he's the male tribute from our District," Itea starts, "but I don't know his name."

We watched in silence the rest of the game. Towards the final six, it's just Aphrodite and her male friend, and all boys from District One, Four, Eight, and Ten. Aphrodite and Fern (as we found his name later.) They had managed to find small shelter inside a bush, each taking turns sleeping. Aphrodite took the first shift, using a large jacket as a blanket. With the blonde beauty snoring her way through part of the night, Fern wandered around the small bush. He picked a few berries from a near bush and placed them in his pocket. Breakfast, probably.

As the moon rose higher into the sky, he woke up Aphrodite, lightly shaking her. She stretched and yawned as her male companion took the spot were she was previously.

"Wanna berry?" he asked, holding his palm out with a few. She shook her head no before he placed them in his mouth. Aphrodite laid still for a few minutes, scratching and rubbing her sleepy eyes before she noticed the shaking of Fern. But it wasn't exactly shaking, he was more acting like a fish out of the water. Gasping for air, his body made quick small movements up and down, landing with hard _thumps. _

"Fern! Oh my god!" Aphrodite cried as she ran over to the boy. As he continued on his seizure, tears fell from Aphrodite's eyes, making her make-up smear. She cried out his name once, twice, seven times before his body didn't move anymore. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, and the blonde crying over Fern.

Seconds later, the hovercraft to take the body away come to pick up the corpse, followed by a canon blast. Aphrodite sat crying some more before the boy from District One and Four, who had formed an alliance, came. She shot them both down before they could do any damage to her.

With the death of Fern brought rage. Rage that could end the game for the others. Itea and I watched the rest of the games, ending a few days later when the boy from District Ten was killed by the boy from District Eight, who later died from lack of water.

It ended not too long after that with Aphrodite being taken by the hovercraft and being declared victor.

"Wow, Queen has it in her!" Itea said in awe as he got up from the floor and stretched.

"Do you know what this mean!" I ask.

"No, what?" asked Itea.

"Yeah, inform us, dear." Aphrodite said from the hallway door to the living cart.


End file.
